Silo.



No. 741,403. I PATENTED OCT. 13, 1903.

A. 0. HUBBARD.

SILO.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 28, 1902. RENEWED APR. 27, 1903.

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" ATENT Trice.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 741,403, dated October 13, 1903" Application filed July 28, 1902. Renewed April 27, 1903. Serial No. 154,577. (No model.)

'To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR 0. HUBBARD, of Minneapolis, I-Iennepin county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Silos, of which the following is a specification.

In the use of a cylindrical stave silo of the ordinary construction great difficulty is experienced in keeping the walls air-tight under all conditions. During the summer when the silo is entirely or partially empty the staves being alternately wet and dry, through the action of the rain, sun, and the hot winds, will shrink and warp, some unevenly, and should a stave bulge in or out past the edge of the abutting one it will open the joint and render tightening by means of the hoops impossible. A vertical stave silo should also be watched and the hoops kept tight in dry weather when the silo is usually empty, otherwise sufficient shrinkage may take place to loosen the hoops and permit the collapse of the structure, or a similar accident may result from purposely loosening the hoops to insert a new stave in place of a broken or defeotive one.

The object therefore of my invention is to provide a silo in which the shrinkage can be easily taken up and the tank or receptacle kept substantially air-tight under all conditions of season or weather and when partially or entirely empty.

A further object is to provide a silo of such construction that the hoops can be loosened and a stave or side board repaired or removed without danger of collapse of the other staves.

A further object is to provide a silo of economical but strong and durable construction and one that can be readily set up and as easily taken apart for removal or repairs.

The invention consists generally in a silo having nailless walls composed of a series of Vertical sections or panels, each section being independent of the others and comprising flat horizontally-arranged staves or sidingboards and alternating upright ribs or studs having vertical grooves or rabbets to receive the ends of the staves.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a substantially cylindrical silo embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same. Figs. 3 and l are details showing the relative positions of the horizontal staves or sidingboards and the upright ribs or studs and the joints between the same.

In the drawings, 2 represents a suitable base or foundation whereon the silo is erected. This structure is, strictly speaking, polygonal in form, but is made up of a series of flat horizontally-arranged staves with upright studs between them, and these staves are sufliciently short to produce a cylindrical efiect.

to the silo.

3 represents a series of upright ribs or studs supported at their lower ends upon the foun (lation and extending to the top of the structure and sustaining the weight of the roof, which I have shown substantially circular in form and composedof a series of sections 4, tapering toward the center and secured at their outer edges to the studs 3.' I have provided a roof of nine sections; but it will be understood that a greater or less number may be employed according to the diameter of the tank, and I may prefer to use in some instances another style of roof. Should a rib not be of sufficient length to reach the top of the silo, its upper end is squared and another stud placed thereon, care being taken to break joints with the extension of any adjacent stud. Each stud is provided at the corners near its inner face with vertical grooves 5, that are preferably substantially \l-shaped in cross-section,thongh other shapes may be used, or the corners of the stud may be rabbeted, and said grooves extend toward the center of the stud and are adapted to receive the beveled ends 6 of flat horizontal staves or siding-boards 7 ,that are arranged on edge between the studs and are provided with matched horizontal edge joints, the outer cornor of the lower of two abutting boards being beveled to carry the drippings away from the joint.

I prefer to coat the beveled ends of the staves with white lead or cement to insure a perfectly air-tight jointbetween them and the uprights. The staves are of. suitable width and thickness and about two feet in length, that being preferably the width of each panel or the distance between the studs. The vertical grooves in the studs will have the effect of making a vertical dovetail in their inner faces, against which the beveled edges of the staves will bear,each groove corresponding to the length and inclination of the bevel on the end of the staves and insuring a closefitting joint, each vertical row of staves forming a panel or section that is independent of all the others. The staves are forced down into the grooves from above, their matched edges fitting together, and as the panels or sections are filledin around the silo flat hoops 8 are placed thereon, having lugs 9 at their ends connected by threaded rods 10, provided with nuts 11. Upon tightening the hoops the beveled ends of the staves will be squeezed or forced into the grooves, uniting the sections or panels firmly together and making a solid air-tight wall.

The beveled ends of the staves will have a wedging action in the V-shaped grooves, and tightening the hoops will have the efiect of forcing the ends of the staves more snugly into the grooves and making a closer joint between the staves and studs. Should any one of the staves in a panel shrink or warp or become broken or damaged, it can be readily removed, even if near the bottom of the structure, without the removal of the staves above in the same panel or in any way interfering with the other panels, it being necessary simply to loosen the hoops sufficiently to allow the upper panels to slide down in the grooves and close the gap and put in a new stave at the top. The shrinkage of the staves will be vertical, not horizontal, and consequently it will not be necessary to tighten up the hoops, it being sufficient to drive down the staves from above to close any cracks that may open between them. Openings 12 are provided in the walls at intervals and closed by suitable doors. (Not shown.)

The dry Weather, sun, and hot winds of summer or the rain will have no effect on a structure of this kind other than to produce a slight transverse shrinkage of the staves or sidings,which can be easily taken up by loosening the hoops and driving down the panels, and should any of the staves be defective or warp in such a manner that it would cause leakage it can be quickly removed.

No nails are used in the building of the walls and the panels when properly hooped will be bound firmly together into one homogeneous structure capable of withstanding any strain to which it may be subjected from within. The dimensions of the staves and their end bevel may be varied according to the capacity of the silo and the probable internal pressure. r

A silo of this construction will have short horizontal joints and there will be less danger of their opening through warping and shrinking than in silos where the staves are vertical faces that are outside the plane of the outside surfaces of the panels and to arrange the hoops to bear upon these outer faces of the studs and not come in contact at any point with the panels. This construction permits access to both sides of the hoops except where they cross the studs and greatly increases the life of the hoops as they are entirely removed from contact with the damp walls of the silo. Furthermore, the hoops arranged in this way will not interfere with the sliding of the staves in the vertical groovesof the studs.

I claim as my invention- 1. A tank having walls comprising a series of vertical panels composed of staves horizontally arranged, upright studs provided between the contiguous ends of each pair of panels and having vertical grooves to receive said ends and form close joints therewith, the outer faces of said studs being outside the plane of the outer surfaces of said panels, and hoops inclosing said panels and studs and bearing only upon the latter and when tightened forcing the ends of said staves into said grooves.

.2. A substantially cylindrical silo having walls comprised of upright studs arranged at intervals upon a suitable base and provided with vertical grooves, staves or siding-boards arranged horizontally between the adjacent pairs. of studs and having ends to fit said grooves and slide therein, each vertical row of staves forming a panel that is independent of all the other panels, and hoops inclosing said staves and studs and when tightened forcing the ends of said staves into said grooves, substantially as described.

3. A substantially cylindrical silo having a suitable roof and nailless walls provided with suitable filling and removal openings and comprising upright studs arranged at intervals upon a suitable base or foundation and provided with vertical grooves in their opposite faces, said grooves being substantially V-shaped in cross-section, staves or sidingboards arranged horizontally between the adjacent pairs of studs and having beveled wedge-shaped endsto enter said grooves and slide therein, and hoops provided at intervals outside said staves and studs and when tightened adapted to force the beveled ends of said staves into said grooves and close the joints between them and said studs.

4. A tank-silo having walls comprising a series of vertical panels composed of staves horizontally arranged, upright studs provided between the contiguous ends of each pair of panels and having vertical grooves to receive said ends and form close joints th erewith,.

said grooves being near the inner corners of the studs and the inner faces of said studs being substantially flush with the inner surfaces of the panels and forming a smooth, unbroken surface therewith and the outer faces of said studs being outside the plane of the outer surfaces of said panels, and hoops inclosing the said panels and studs andbearing only upon the latter, for the purpose specified.

5. A tank composed of staves horizontally arranged in vertical panels and having beveled ends, upright studs provided between the contiguous panels and having vertical grooves corresponding substantially in crosssection to the bevel of the ends of said staves and arranged to receive the same, and hoops arranged .When tightened to wedge the ends of said staves into said grooves.

63. A substantially cylindrical tank or silo, composed of staveshorizontally arranged in vertical panels, upright studs provided between the contiguous panels and having vertical grooves to receive the ends of said staves, the inner faces of said studs and the inner faces of said panels being substantially flush and forming an unbroken curved surface on the inside of the tank, and hoops binding said studs and said panels together.

7. Atank having walls comprising a series of vertical panels composed of staves hori- 

